Method of etching celluloid and the like



. Iuly l, 1930. s. A. NElDlcH 1,759,599

METHOD OF ETCHING CELLULOID AND THE LIKE Filed March l5, 1929 FIG? 1./

Patented July l, 1930 UNITED 'STATES PATENT OFFICE SAMUEL A. NEIDICH, OF EDG-EWATER PARK, NEW JERSEY METHOD OF ETCHING CEL-IULOID AND THE LIKE Application ld March 13, 1929. Serial No. 346,78?.

My invention relates to means for etching products of cellulose, such as Celluloid, cellulose nitrate, cellulose acetate, and similar materials, to afford recesses for the reception of other material which may be of an ornal mental character or be printersink or other pi ment which may be transferred from such etc mg.

j As hereinafter described, my invention inn', cludes the method' of applying to the surface to be etched, a fluid which is asolvent of the material to be etched and capable of penetrating that surface and increasing the volume of the material penetrated; thus producing 5 cameo projection of the material at the region penetrated; removing the projecting material; and -removing the remaining fluid from said region penetrated, and thus causing intaglio recession of that region.

I prefer to use, for the penetrating fluid aforesaid, a cellulose nitrate solvent havingI a high boiling point and low volatility; and particular-l derivatives of ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol; forinstance, ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether acetate, diethyle'ne glycol mono butyl ether, etc.

As a matter of economy and control of the solvents aforesaid, they may be mixed With diluents. For instance, ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether acetate and similar derivatives of ethylene glycol may be diluted with water. However, I prefer to employ a more volatile diluent, such as carbon tetrachloride or liquid hydrocarbons. For instance, such a solvent a5 may include ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether, mixedwith such a volatile diluent as carbon tetrachloride, gasoline or naphtha. Altho gasoline and naptha may be used in lieu of carbon tetrachloride as diluents of 4o cellulose nitrate solvents; carbon tetrachloride is preferable because it is not inflammable like the hydrocarbons aforesaid.

For example, the etching fluid may be composed of twenty percent of ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether acetate, or other derivative of ethylene glycol, mixed with eighty percent` of carbon tetrachloride. The etching fluid may be applied to the surface to be etched by any convenient method or means.

My invention includes the various novel features of procedure, composition and st-ructure hereinafter more definitely specified.

In said drawings; Fig. Iris an edge view of a sheet of such cellulose product having certain regions of its upper surface exposed for access of the etching fluid; the other portions being masked.

Fig. II is a view similar to Fig. I, but showing the effect Yof the etching Huid upon the exposed areas of the Celluloid or the like.

Fig. III is a view similar to Fig. II, but with the masking material removed and with the cameo projections of the Celluloid and the like removed, leaving the top surface Substantially Hush.

Fig. IV is a view similar to Fig. III but with the penetrating fluid removed from the regions penetrated, causing intaglio recession of those regions. j

Fig. V is a perspective view of a tube of Celluloid or the like, having a coating of masking material, removed by writing thereon.

Referring to Fig. I; the sheet 1 of celluloid or the like cellulose product has regions 2 thereof exposed for subjection to the action of the etching fluid; thev other regions thereof being covered by the coating of masking material 3 which may be paraffin or any other etching resistant material which may be readily removed from the Celluloid product.

Referring to Fig. II; the etching fluid 5 may be conveniently applied by spraying it thru the air brush nozzle 6 with the effect of penetrating the subjacent region 2 of the sheet 1 and increasing the volume of the material treated so that it projects as indicated at 8. After the exposed areas 2 have been thus treated; the masking material may be removed in any convenient manner, for instance, by Warming the sheet l. Thereupon, the cameo projections 8 upon the sheet l may be removed, conveniently by grinding them with an abrading wheel l0, as indicated in Fig. III.

Thereafter, the remaining penetrating fluid in the regions 2 of the sheet l may be removed, either by spontaneous evaporation` of said Huid, or by extracting said uid in a of ,such an etched plate 1 may be temporarily charged with engraving ink and'said sheet used as a printing element to transfer such ink to a sheet of paper or other :suitable fabrlc. f e

The masking material 3 maybe applied in 2 0 iany= convenient manner by any suitable means; for instance,such material as liquid paraiiin or other waxy substance maybe sprayed up'on the sheet` 1 thru a perforatedy pattern which temporarily coversthe regions 2 of said Asheet which are to be exposed and lwhich are uncovered ywhen the pattern is removed. However, the article to be etched may have the surface thereof which it is intended to etch initially entirely covered with 3o the maskingmaterial, which is thereafter removed, thruout the regions to be etched, by

from said region penetrated, and thus caus ing intaglio recession of that region.

Y 2. A/method as in claim- 1; wherein the, fluid includes ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether acetate.

3. A method as'inlclaim 1; wherein the fluid includes ethylene glycol mono ethyl ether, mixed with a fluid diluent.

4.A'method asin claim l; wherein the fluidincludes ethylene glycol mono ethylether, mixed with carbon tetrachloride. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Burlington, New Jersey, this 31st day of January, 1929.

.l SAMUEL A. NEIDICH.

an suitablemethod or means. For instance,

' re erring to Fi V, the tube 14 of celluloid or the like, whic may be a fountain pen body a5 or cap, or a handle covering for a cane or umbrella, may be primaril masked by a coatin 15 of suitable materia foll instance, para which may .then be removed thruout the region 16 to be etched, by writing-thereon 4o with an ordinary'lead pencil, or other etch- Y, mg implement. The tube shown in Fig. V

I nay have the exposed surfacel thereof sub- ]ected to the action of a penetrating fluid with the effect of causing the material of the '45 tube to project, as at 8 ln Fig. II, and said vtube ma .be xsubse uently treated as above contemp ated to e ect recession of the regionl.v

Therefore, I do notI desire to limit myself B0 to the precise details of construction and arrangement herein set forth, as it is obvious that various modifications may be made therein without departing from the essential features of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

, claim:

1. The method ef etching eelluleid end the like, which includes applying to the surface to be etched, a iluid which is a solvent of the v materialto be etched and 'capable of pene trating that surface and increasing the volume o the material penetrated; thus producing cameo projection of the material at the region penetrated; removing the projectin 045 material; and removing the remaining .loo 

